Photoessay: Gimmelwald – a Mountain Farming Village in the Alps

Nestled at an elevation of about 1365 meters above sea level is the quaint village of Gimmelwald in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. Often mistaken for the more touristy Grindelwald, Gimmelwald which dates back to the 13th century and located in the Bernese Oberland region, is mostly off the coneventional tourist track.

With a population of just over 100 people, this mountain village is car free and a haven for nature lovers. At the risk of sounding cliched, the village is truly straight out of the pages of a fairy tale book with its timeless wooden chalets, lush green meadows and billowing flower beds.

Dairy farming is the main occupation in the village and it is little wonder that there are more barns here than houses and more cow troughs than mailboxes! While here it is hard to miss the old world rustic vibe, crisp mountain air and serenity all around. The only ‘noises’ you hear in this idyllic paradise are the bells of the grazing cows and the chirping of the birds.

It is a great place to shop for products like dairy and cheese which is sold by the local farming community from their houses. In fact, the village is famous for its self service shops which are open in front of barns and houses. All you have to do is to pick up the product and deposit the money in the box!

Gimmelwald also has the famous ‘Honesty Shop‘ which is the first of its kind in Europe. The shop retails everything from local pottery, souvenirs, paintings, artefacts and even clothing. With no cameras or any kind of surveillance, it is a self service shop where poeple shop and deposit money in the “honesty envelopes” which are then placed in the red “honesty box“.

Gimmelwald is car free and one of the most popular ways of reaching here is by cable car from Stechelberg or Mürren. It is just about 5 km from Lauterbrunnen which is home to the renowned Trummelbach falls.

Gimmelwald is again an easy day trip from Zurich.